all he’d gained with her. He’d grown accustomed to her warm smiles and the way her blue eyes lit when she saw him.
“I will be there,” Ryz leered.
Darcy sagged in his arms and Nikol steeled his heart for what he was about to do.
***
Nikol led Darcy to the beautiful glass enclosed room she’d only been in once when they went for their walks. Circular sofas low to the ground provided seating for any who wanted to take advantage of the sunlight streaming through on three sides. The floors were tiled a bright white that made it feel if you were outside.
It should have felt peaceful. Instead, Darcy considered it the sight of her destruction. She looked up to Nikol, seeking reassurance but he was staring at the others who came in behind them. Dain and Ryz followed and they were joined by a third it took a moment to recognize.
He’d spoken to Brax when she’d first landed on Marenia. His eyes instantly went to Darcy. Not her face but her breasts and his dick jumped in his pants.
Oh, God. She sucked in a deep breath. Why did they all need to be here? What were they planning? The possible answer caused her heart to seize in fear.
Lowering her to her feet, Nikol watched her with that cold expression Darcy was beginning to hate. She took a step back and Nikol’s eyes hardened to chips of brown stone. He spoke to the others but didn’t take his gaze from her. “We are here to witness correction to the Earth woman for her disobedience and disrespect toward Ryz.”
Darcy inhaled sharply and clutched the material of the shellam in her hands.
“Correction has been ceded to me to address with my tutanis. Agreed?” he intoned.
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
The three chimed in. Darcy glanced around frantically. Her gaze landed on Dain standing a bit behind Ryz and the other Marenian. Dain’s dark eyes held a warning. A laugh bubbled in her throat. She was supposed to go along peacefully with whatever this was? Not likely.
Nikol took a seat on a cream colored circular sofa and spread his thick thighs. “Come here, Earth woman.”
“No.”
There were several indrawn breaths but Nikol merely pursed his lips in disappointment. He was on his feet and had Darcy in his arms before she could run.
”Stop! Stop this!” she screeched.
He handled her easily and tossed her over his lap, face down. One palm planted firmly at the middle of Darcy’s back, immobilizing her. The other went to her face and he turned her head to the side, facing his torso. “You will apologize to Ryz for your actions.”
“What?” She kicked out her legs. “No.”
“Then the correction will begin and not stop until you see the error of your ways.”
Darcy pushed her hands on the floor and thrust her hips up. He must not have expected her move and she fell to the floor, cracking her knees on the tile. Nikol leaned down and picked her up despite her smacking hands.
“She clearly needs more training, but worth it with that body,” Ryz said.
Humiliation churned in her gut. Nikol controlled her attempts to escape and she found herself face down on his lap again. He shifted her shellam aside, baring her bottom and sending a jolt of sheer panic down her spine. “Wait, no! No! Please!”
A deep rich voice full of menace joined in. “She needs a hard hand. I have a lot of practice with that if you require my assistance.”
Nikol’s thighs froze beneath her and Darcy held still. “No, thank you, Calix.”
She’d never heard such coldness in his voice before.
“As you wish.”
Nikol removed the wisps of silk about her hips and ran a hand over her butt. “Do you apologize to Ryz?”
“Are you going to let them rape me if I don’t?” Darcy asked.
He gripped the hair at the back of her head and yanked. Her neck bent at an awkward angle as he got in her face. There was a snarl twisting his lips and his eyes were thin slits. “What did you say?”
Though he was frightening her more with his rage, Darcy spat, “Rape. Is this about to be a gang rape?”
“No one else will touch you in that manner. Only me.”
She arched on his lap and tried to twist about. The ease with which he kept her restrained pissed Darcy off. “Then what is this about?!”
“It is about you not knowing when to shut. the. fuck. up! Now apologize,” he snapped.
Her mouth dropped. All the times he’d been gentle with her.